I was watching my childhood show on YouTube today(My wife says I'm still a little boy), and was wondering if anyone in that period of the war ever sent 2 jeeps into the middle of the desert.

Of course, I know that American soldiers did not wear Australian hats in North Africa and 2 jeeps with 50 cals cannot take out a German armoured column.

But my question is, did both sides ever send out small vehicles such as a jeep or the German equivalent into the desert to cause trouble?

bairdlander -> RE: The Rat Patrol! (1/20/2013 3:39:55 AM)

The show was inspired by and loosely modelled on the New Zealand/British/Rhodesian Long Range Desert Group, which used modified trucks armed with machine guns as their transport through the treacherous desert terrain, and Popski's Private Army. The title of the program refers to the nicknames given to some of the British Commonwealth forces in the North African campaign (Rats of Tobruk or Desert Rats). Consequently, at the time of the original telecast many British viewers took offense at the dominance of American characters on the program, the result being that the show was pulled from the BBC

Hey me too. I built both of those models, and stacked them full of Tamiya's, jerry cans etc. Great models. In my my time in the Australian Army Reserve, I can remember checking out a very smashed up 6 x 6 SAS Landrover.

Jim D Burns -> RE: The Rat Patrol! (1/20/2013 8:32:42 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: ilovestrategy and 2 jeeps with 50 cals cannot take out a German armoured column.

It's not WWII, but while doing research on the 67 Arab - Israel war when designing scenarios for TOAW, I read accounts of Israel using jeep teams armed with light machine guns and bazooka's sent out into the desert to meet the advancing Egyptian armor columns. They were very fast and mobile and managed to take out quite a few Egyptian tanks by appearing out of nowhere on their flanks and taking quick shots at them before scooting away behind the sand dunes. While not decisive, they were effective enough at slowing the advancing armor columns progress (probably helped buy 12-24 extra hours for mobilization) that I asked Norm to create a bazooka armed jeep equipment item for use in game.

Of course, I know that American soldiers did not wear Australian hats in North Africa and 2 jeeps with 50 cals cannot take out a German armoured column.

They didn't take out a German armoured column in the video. They just took out its supply trucks and escaped.

jimi3 -> RE: The Rat Patrol! (1/22/2013 12:40:00 AM)

Thanks for bringing back the Tamiya memories. Then there was Airfix...................

Cap Mandrake -> RE: The Rat Patrol! (1/22/2013 1:16:57 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bairdlander

The show was inspired by and loosely modelled on the New Zealand/British/Rhodesian Long Range Desert Group, which used modified trucks armed with machine guns as their transport through the treacherous desert terrain, and Popski's Private Army. The title of the program refers to the nicknames given to some of the British Commonwealth forces in the North African campaign (Rats of Tobruk or Desert Rats). Consequently, at the time of the original telecast many British viewers took offense at the dominance of American characters on the program, the result being that the show was pulled from the BBC

Well, even though there was no American participation in the LRDG and the Desert Rats were British....at least we (Americans) can take pride in having captured the Enigma machine. [:)]

bairdlander -> RE: The Rat Patrol! (1/22/2013 2:55:51 AM)

Wrong,it was England that captured the machine from U-110,you must be thinking of the fictional film U-571.Although the film was financially successful and generally well received by critics in the USA and won an Academy Award for sound editing, the fictitious plot attracted substantial criticism as, in reality, it was British personnel from HMS Bulldog who first captured a naval Enigma machine, from U-110 in the North Atlantic in May 1941, long before the United States entered the war, and as German U-boat crews were portrayed in a very negative light which doesn't correspond with established facts. The anger over the inaccuracies even reached the British Parliament, where Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that the film was an "affront" to British sailors.

The real U-571 was never involved in any such events, was not captured, and was in fact sunk in January 1944, off Ireland, by a Short Sunderland flying boat from No. 461 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force

wodin -> RE: The Rat Patrol! (1/22/2013 7:32:37 AM)

Well at least the Americans....erm..hmmm...had lots of Arty!

[:D][;)]

wodin -> RE: The Rat Patrol! (1/22/2013 7:33:27 AM)

Sorry duplicate post.

ilovestrategy -> RE: The Rat Patrol! (1/22/2013 10:15:08 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

quote:

ORIGINAL: ilovestrategy and 2 jeeps with 50 cals cannot take out a German armoured column.

It's not WWII, but while doing research on the 67 Arab - Israel war when designing scenarios for TOAW, I read accounts of Israel using jeep teams armed with light machine guns and bazooka's sent out into the desert to meet the advancing Egyptian armor columns. They were very fast and mobile and managed to take out quite a few Egyptian tanks by appearing out of nowhere on their flanks and taking quick shots at them before scooting away behind the sand dunes. While not decisive, they were effective enough at slowing the advancing armor columns progress (probably helped buy 12-24 extra hours for mobilization) that I asked Norm to create a bazooka armed jeep equipment item for use in game.